Apparatus for toasting bread and broiling meats



(No Model.)

APPARATUSPOR TOASTING BREAD AND BROILING MEATS,- &c. No. 281,683. Patented July 24, 1883.

Fay/z .g\ H lg- A TT OR/VE Y UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

MARGARET S. GIBSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FoR TOASTING BREAD AND BROILING MEATS, aw.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 281,683, dated July 24, 1883.

' Application filed Aplil 51 1883. (No model.)

reference is had to the accompanying drawings.

My apparatus consists of a semi-cylindrical metal case, with its face on the diameter open,

containing a multi-barbed pivoted fork, supported in the case in suitable bearings in front of the open case, and having ahandle projecting from the case, by which it may be revolved, and also arranged so that it may be readily'removed from the case at will.

An embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the drawings, of which Figure 1 is'a front view, showing the open face and the pivoted fork in position; and Fig. 2, a top view of Fig. 1, with the handle of the fork removed.

The case of the apparatus consists of a semicylindrical shell, 8 8, closed above by a plate, a, and below by a plate, I), the front of the shell being open. A passage, 0, through the top of the case, extending from side to side parallel and near to the front of the case, permits the introduction of the multi-barbed fork F,hereinafter to be described,into the case, and of its withdrawal from the same. The strip of metal 1", which forms the portion of the top of the case included between the passage 6 and the front, is pierced by a hole, 2, at a point equidistant from the sides of the case, which communicates with the passage 6 by a slot, i, less wide than the diameter of z. Directly below the hole 2, on the bottom plate, I), is a step, a, in which and in the hole or bearing 2 in the strip 0* the shaft of the fork is to be supported, as presently to be described. The case has four feet, projecting in front of its open face, upon which it may stand when 'set over an opening in the top of a range or stove. At the back it also has a handle, H, by which it may be'moved or lifted.

The fork F consists of a central shaft, vf, bearing a cross-bar, 4%, extending on each side of the shaft to a distance something less than the radius of the semi-cylindrical case, from which project a number of barbs, 0, parallel to the shaft, and ranged equally on each the case may be.

side of it. To the upper extremity of the shaft f is affixed the handle fi. Between this handle and the cross-bar n the shaft is of an enlarged diameter for a short section, 0, the diameter of the section being slightly less than that of the bearing a, but greater than the width of the slot z,'the remainder of the shaft having a diameter less than the width of the slot. The length of the shaft f, from its lower extremity to the enlarged section 0, is such that when the former is resting in the socket in the step a the latter may be supported in the bearing 2 in the strip 1'.

The method of using this apparatus for toasting breador broiling meats is as follows: .The fork having been removed from the case, the slices of bread or of meat are fixed on the barbs of the fork with their faces parallel to the cross-barn. The fork and its load, held vertically, are thenlowered into the case through the opening 6 until the portion of the shaft f between the cross-bar n and the thicker section, 0, is opposite to the slot 6, leading to the bearing z, through which the shaft is then slipped into the bearing 2, and lowered until its lower extremity rests in the step a and the section '0 in the bearing 2, from which the latter cannot escape, for the reason that it is of 80 a greater diameter than thewidthof the slot 1'. The fork and its load of bread or meat having thus been placed in position in the case, the latter is set before the grate of a range with its face toward the grate, or else over an opening in the top of the range with its open face down, and one side of the bread or meat is exp osed to the heat of the fire until sufficiently done, and then the case is drawn back, or lifted a little by its handle H, and the fork turned one-half of a revolution, to bring the other side of the bread or meat toward the fire, which is in its turn subjected to the action of the heat until properly toasted or broiled, as

The fork is then raised 5 from its bearings, and removed from the case through the opening 6.

WVhen this utensil is used over an opening in the top of a range or stove, the position of the fork is horizontal, and unless it is loaded 10o front edge of the strip 1- very nearly to the level of the crossbar n, and upon which the fork, when used in a horizontal position, is made to rest by pulling it out until the cross bar n is above the rests, but not sufficiently to withdraw the shaft entirely from its bearing in the step 11. When it is desired to revolve the fork one-half of a revolution, it is only necessary to push the fork in again, after which it may be revolved.

In order to catch the drippings from meat when broiled with the fork in a vertical position, as when the apparatus is set before the open grate of the range, the bottom plate, I), of the case is extended far enough to the front to insure the catching of all the drippings, and its projecting edges turned up.

The following modifications may be made in the construction of the apparatus shown in the drawings without departing from my invention, viz:

First, the cross-bar a may be placed on the shaft near its lower extremity, with the barbs pointing upward, instead of vice versa, as in the drawings. In this case, when the fork is in position in the case, the cross-bar a would be near the bottom plate. with the barbs projecting upward toward the top plate of the ease, and the two rests 'v 0 would be attached to the bottom of the case, instead of to the top, and project upward sufficiently far for the cross-bar of the fork to rest upon. \Vhen the shaft of the latter is pushed home into the bearing in the step a, to be able to revolve the fork, pull it out until the crossbar is disengaged from the rests 11.

Second, the top plate of the case may be made without the passage 0 in it, in which case the slot 1 of the bearing 5 would have to open toward the front of the case, and the rests o be located just back of the fork, instead of in front of it, and the fork would be removed from the ease through its open face, instead of through the passage Third, the apparatus may be modified by extending the sides, top, and bottom of the case far enough to the front of the fork, so that when the case is set upon the top of a stove the fork may be revolved without first lifting the case.

Among the advantages possessed by this utensil over those ordinarily used for the same purposes are, first, that owing to the retention of the heat by the case, and its reflection back by the same upon the side of the bread or meat turned away from the fire, the latter is heated and kept warm, and the process of cooking hastened; and, second, that when used over an opening in the top of a stove or range the broiled meats are likely to be less impregnated with the gases from the burning fuel, for the reason that the casing by which the fork and its meat are covered prevents any current of the gases through and around the meat.

Thus having described my invention, I claim as mine and wish to secure to myself by Let ters latent of the United States 1. In a utensil for toasting bread and broiling meat, a case having one face open, in combination with a multi-barbed fork, supported in the interior of the case in front of its open face by a central shaft forming a portion of the fork and resting in suitable bearings in opposite walls of the :case, one extremity of the said shaft protruding from the case and bearing a suitable handle, by which the shaft and fork may be revolved, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a utensil for toasting bread and broiling meat, the combination of a case having one face open, the multi-barbed fork F, having a shaft, f, with the enlarged section or arbor c, the bearing 2, with the passage 1?, smaller than the bearing and than the arbor c on the shaftf, and the step a, the combination operating substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a utensil for toasting bread and broiling meats, a semicircular case, with its face on the diameter open, having the passage (2 through its upper side, the bearing z, with its slot '1 the step a, and the rests o o, in combination with the multi-barbed fork F, the combination operating substantially as and for the purpose spcciiied.-

MARGARET S. GIBSON.

\Vi tncsses:

M. GInsoN, S. Mounts L1 man. 

